Driers



April 1957 E. R. ZADEMACH 2,787,062

DRIERS Filed Aug. 24, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 m M Q M k: 5 M & \H w E. R.ZADEMACH 2,787,062

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April '2, 1957 E. ZADEMACH DRIERS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Aug. 24, 1954INVENTQR.

United States Patent DRIERS Application August 24, 1954, Serial No.451,854 10 Claims. (Cl. 34-229) This invention relates to driers whichact to blow air upon wet articles carried through a drying chamber bymeans of a conveyor or turntable and proposes certain improvements in myUnited States Patent 2,334,854, dated November 23, 1953, fora Drier.

Driers of this kind are generally used at different times for dryingarticles of dilferent sizes, although the articles put through in anysingle run are generally all of the same size. It is desirable that theblowing nozzles be located as close to the articles on the conveyor orturntable as is practical because the blast from the nozzle is strongestright at the nozzle tip.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a series of nozzleswhich may be adjusted so as to locate the nozzle tips at differentdistances above the conveyor or turntable. Thus, for small articles thenozzle tips will be located at a low level to be near the articles,while for relatively large articles the tips will be adjusted to ahigher level which is sufficiently high to clear the articlescomfortably.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a common adjustingmeans for adjusting all of the nozzles in unison.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide an exitgate or guard at the exit end of the machine which is also adjustable inunison with the nozzles.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a rotarydrier provided with nozzles and adjusting means of the above type.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a rotarydrier of the above type having an entrance gate or guard at the entranceof the machine which is also adjustable in unison with the nozzles.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide commonadjusting means for a series of nozzles for adjusting the nozzles inunison which consists essentially of an elongated rotatable barconnected to the ends of the nozzles by flexible cables whereby a simplerotation of the bar will raise or lower the nozzles in unison thedesired amount.

Other objects of the present invention are to provide a drier bearingthe above objects in mind which is of simple construction, inexpensiveto manufacture, has a minimum number of parts, is easy to use andefiicient in operation.

For other objects and a better understanding of the invention, referencemay be had to the following detailed description taken in connectionwith the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a rotary drier embodying the features ofthe present invention, shown partly in section to show the interiorconstruction thereof;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken along the line22 of Fig. 1;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken along the line3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken along the line 4-4of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view in side elevation illustrating a modifiedform of the present invention.

Referring now more in detail to the drawing, wherein similar referencenumerals identify like parts throughout the several views, there isshown in Figs. 1 through 4 a rotary drier, indicated generally at 10,and including an upstanding rectangular housing 11, substantially asillustrated.

The housing 11 includes a bottom wall 12 supported on the beams '13(Fig. 2) and a top wall 14, the top wall 14 being provided with theV-shaped opening 15.

A hollow cylindrical pillar 16 (Fig. 1) is centrally mounted on base 12in suitable manner and supports the top wall 14.

Although the invent-ion will now be described with reference to a fullcircular drier, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the artthat the invention is equally applicable to a half-circular drier andhalf wash and rinse unit without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe invention.

A circular drying chamber 17 is formed around pillar 16 between thebottom wall 1 2 and the top wall 14 by a cylindrical side wall 18, onevertical edge of the cylindrical wall 18 terminating at one side of theV-shaped opening 15 and the other vertical edge extending to the otherside of the opening 15 and being bent parallel thereto, as at 19 (-Fig.1).

Substantially midway between the top wall 14 and the bottom wall 12there is provided a turntable made up of an inner ring 20, an outer,channel-shaped ring 21, and wire mesh 22 connecting the rings. it willbe noted that the outer ring 21 is freely spaced from the inner face ofthe cylindrical wall 18 while the inner ring 20 is freely spaced fromthe pillar 16 (Fig. 2).

The turntable is supported on a plurality of radially spaced rollers,1-22 rotatably mounted on the inside of Wall 18, such rollers supportingthe undersurface of the ring 21.

As a means of driving the turntable, the ring 21 (Fig. 2) receivesthereon an endless chain 26. The chain 26 (Fig. 1) passes around adriven sprocket 27 and an idler sprocket 28. A worm gear 29 is keyedonto the same shaft as the driven sprocket 27 therebelow and is in meshwith a worm 30 keyed onto the drive shaft 31 of motor 32, the motor 32being suitably mounted upon the bottom wall 12 adjacent one verticaledge of the side Wall 18.

A shelf 33 (Figs. 1 and 2) extends around one side of the cylindricalwall 18, the shelf 33 being provided with a cut out portion 34 receivingthe wall 18. A heated chamber 35 is formed above the shelf 33 by thevertical side walls 36 and 37 (Figs. 1 and 2) and top wall 38, thevertical edge of the side wall 36 being sealed to the side of thecylindrical wall 18 by panel 39 while the vertical edge of the side wall37 is sealed to the cylindrical wall 18 by the panels 40 and 41.

A second electric motor 42 (Fig. 2) is suitably mounted intermediate thebottom wall 12 and shelf 33 and drives a blower 43 suitably mountedadjacent thereto through a belt 44, the shelf 33 being provided with anopening 45 connected to the outlet 44 of blower 43. The blower 43 may,of course, be driven directly by motor 42. Thus, preheated air fed insuitable manner'to the blower 43 will be circulated upwardly in thedirection of the arrows toward the top of the heated chamber 35. As analternate construction, the air passing upwardly through the blower 43need not be preheated, in which case suitable heating elements will beprovided within chamber 35 of the type disclosed in my prior UnitedStates Patent 2,334,- 854. l

The air from the heated chamber 35 enters the drying chamber 17 throughopenings 46 provided in wall 18 (Fig. 2) through nozzles to behereinafter described. A bearing tube 47 is secured within the chamber17 in line with each opening 46 by means of welding 48. Bearing brackets49 in line with each of the bearing tubes 47 are suitably secured to theoutside of the pillar 16, the brackets 49 being mounted by nuts andbolts 125 on angle brackets 126 suitably securedto the outside of pillar16.

Nozzles '50 are each provided at one end with bearing tubes 51 of thesame size as the bearing tubes 47. Bearing rings 52 are provided whichmay be initially mounted upon the bearing tubes 47 and which may then beslid inwardly to overlap the bearing tubes 51 when the latter have beenput in place. Set screws 53 are provided for fixing the position of thebearing rings 52 upon the bearing tubes 47. Each of the nozzles 50 isprovided at its other end with a pin 54 in line with the bearing tubes51, the pins 54 being rotatably mounted within each of the bearingbrackets 49.

The nozzles 50 are each so shaped that the hot air is directed in adirection opposed to the travel of the articles being treated.

A shaft 55 extends through the drying chamber 1.7 parallel to the sidewall 37 the opposite end of the bar 55 being rotatably mounted in thebearings 56 and 57. The shaft 55 is also rotatably supportedintermediate its ends by the bearing 58.

A worm gear 59 is keyed onto the front end of the shaft 55 adjacent theouter face of bearing 57. A hand wheel 60 is located at the introductoryend of the apparatus and is keyed upon a shaft 61. The shaft 61 isjournalled in bearings 62 and has keyed thereon a worm 63 in mesh withworm gear 59. Thus, the hand wheel 60 may be used to effect the desiredadjustments of the bar 55. Thi worm-gear arrangement has the additional"advantage of being self-locking in any position.

A loading platform, not shown, will be provided at the entrance end ofthe drier which stands a little above the level of the turntable.

A pin 64 is secured to the inner end of each of the nozzles 50 below thepins 54 by means of the welding 65. Plates 66 are each provided with anopening permitting the same to be mounted upon each of the pins 64, aflexible cable '67 being suitably secured to the upper end of each ofthe plates 66. The other end of each of the cables 67 is suitablysecured to the bar 55 in the manner .shown.

A loading door 63 is rot-at-ably mounted along its upper edge near oneside of the -shaped cutout by means of bearing tubes 69 and pins 70(Fig. 4). The innermost pin 70' is rotatably mounted in a bearingbracket 71 suitably secured to the outside of pillar 16. The outer pin70 is rotatably mounted within a bearing 72 suitably mounted on. theinner face of the cylindrical wall 1 8. A pulley 73 is rotatably mountedupon a bearing bracket 74 suitably secured to the outside of the pillar'16. A lug 75 is provided along the lower edge of the loading door 68and is provided with an opening 76 within which is suitably secured oneend of a flexible cable 77. The cable 77 passes around the pulley 73 andis suitably secured at its other end to the bar 55.

A swinging bafile 78 extends across the width of the loading door 68therebelow and is pivotally secured thereto by means of the hooks 79 andopenings 80 provided in the lower end of the door. Thus, regardless ofthe adjustment of the door 68, the baffle 78 will always be in asubstantially vertical position. Adiustment of the loading door andnozzles in unison is effected by operation of the hand wheel 60 as thearticles are fed on to the turntable. Thus, by adjusting the loadingdoor lower edge to the proper height above the turntable to accommodatethe articles, the lower edges of the nozzles will automatically beadjusted to the proper height.

The dotted line and full line positions of Fig. 3 indicate the twoextreme positions of the nozzles. The dotted line and full linepositions of Fig. '4 illustrate the two extreme positions of the loadingdoor. Such adjustments are made to permit the passage of articles ofdifferent size and still permit the impingement of the hot air flowingout of the nozzles on the articles as near the mouths of the nozzles aspossible. The swinging bafile depends considerably below the lower edgeof the door and is swung inwardly by the articles as they move on to theturntable.

In the present arrangement, the swinging baflle 78 serves to minimizethe amount of cold air that will enter the drying chamber. It will beapparent that in the present arrangement the nozzles direct their hotair in thedirection of the entrance of the drier. The result is that thearticles are subjected to the drying action throughout 180 of therotation of the turntable as the articles move through the machine. Itis thus apparent that with the present arrangement the adjustment inunison of the nozzles disposed at varying angular positions is easilyand readily effected by a common means.

Referring now particularly to Fig. 5, there is shown a modified form ofthe present invention incorporated in a linear drier of the typedisclosed in my prior United States Patent 2,334,854. The drying chamber81 is supported at a distance above the floor upon legs 82 .in the formof angle bars. The legs are secured at their lower ends to cross beams83, which in turn are secured to longitudinally extending channel bars84. The drying chamber is desirably composed of a three-sided sheetmetal plate 85 which forms the sides and bottom of the chamber, and afiat plate 85a which forms the top of the chamber. An endless conveyorbelt 86 runs through the chamber, being arranged to travel around endsprockets 87 and 88 and to be supported between the sprockets on rails,not shown. The articles are conducted through the chamber upon theupper, or active, stretch of the belt 86.

A blower 91 mounted alongside the chamber 81 and below it, is drivenfrom a motor '92 through a belt 93. The blower delivers air into aheating chamber '94 which is located above the blower and along one sideof the drying chamber. As described in my prior United States Patent2,334,854, the air passes first into a space which is bounded at its topby an imperforate plate and which is bounded along its sides by steamcoils which have radiating fins formed or mounted upon them at frequentintervals. All the air delivered by the :blower must pass out throughone bank or the other of the heating pipes forming the steam coils. Aportion of the air escapes from the heating chamber 14 through loweropenings 99 to lower jets 100 which are located in the drying chamberbetween the upper and lower stretches of the conveyor. The air from theheating chamber 94 enters the nozzles through openings 101. A flangebearing tube 102 is secured within the chamber 81 in line with eachopening 101. A similar bearing tube is secured to the opposite wall ofthe drying chamber. Nozzles 104 are each provided with bearing tubes,not shown, of the same size as the bearing tubes 102. Bearing rings areprovided which may be initially mounted upon the bearing tubes 102 andwhich may he slid inwardly to overlap the bearing tubes on the nozzleswhen the latter have been put in place. Each nozzle has fixed to itslower side a pin 105 extending outside the lateral bounds of thenozzles.

A straight elongated bar 106 passes through the drying chamber 81 abovethe nozzles 104 and is notably mounted within the bearings 107 and 108.Plates 109 are each provided with suitable openings receiving the pins105, the upper ends of the plates 109 being suitably secured to thecables 110. The other "ends of each of the cables 110 are suitablysecured to the bar 106. The bar 106 extends to a point adjacent theintroductory end of the apparatus and has keyed thereon a Worm gear 111.A shaft 112 is rotatably mounted below and at right angles to the bar106, a hand wheel 113 being keyed thereon. A worm 114 is provided on theshaft 112 in mesh with gear 111. A thrust bearing 11'5 supports the endof the bar 106. In the illustrative embodiment a loading platform 116 isprovided at the entrance end of the drying unit which stands a littleabove the level of the conveyor 86. i

The nozzles 104 are each so shaped that the hot air is directed in thedirection opposed to the travel of the articles being treated.

An exit door 117 is pivotally mounted at its upper end in suitablemanner above the exit endof the conveyor 86 and pivotally mounts theswinging batfle 118 in a manner similar to the first form of theinvention. A lug 119 is provided along the lower edge of the exit door117 and is connected to a flexible cable 120 suitably secured atitsother end to the bar 106. Thus adjustment of the nozzles and the exitdoor may be effected in unison by the hand wheel 113, as will beobvious.

The swinging baflfle 118 depends considerably below the mouth of thenozzles and is swung outwardly by the articles as they tumble off thebelt 86 on to the delivery platform 121. The swinging bafiie 118 servesto minimize the amount of cold air that will enter the drying machine. i

It should now be apparent that there has been provided driers of boththe rotary and conveyor type wherein a series of nozzles may be adjustedso as to locate the nozzle tips at different distances above theconveyor or turntable. It should also be apparent that there has beenprovided a common adjusting means for adjusting all of the nozzles inunison. It should further be apparent that there have been providedloading and exit doors which are adjustable in unison with the nozzles.

While various changes may be made in the detail construction, it shallbe understood that such changes shall be within the spirit and scope ofthe present invention as defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a drier, the combination with a drying chamber and means formoving the articles therethrough, of a series of nozzles disposed overthe moving means, each. of said nozzles being pivotally mounted andcapable of assuming any position between two extreme positions forvarying the distance between the mouth of the nozzle and the movingmeans, means adapted to minimize the amount of cold air that will enterthe drier, said means including a freely swingable baffle dependingsubstantially below the mouth of the nozzle, and means for adjustingsaid nozzles in unison, said'last mentioned means comprising anelongated bar rotatably mounted within the drying chamber, externallyoperable means for rotating said bar about its longitudinal axis, and aflexible cable element connecting the lower portion of each of saidnozzles with said bar whereby upon rotation of said bar in oppositedirections, said nozzles will be raised or lowered.

2. In a drier, the combination with a drying chamber and a turntablerotatable therein, of a series of nozzles disposed over said turntable,each of said nozzles being pivotally mounted and capable of assuming anyposition between two extreme positions for varying the distance betweenthe mouth of the nozzle and the conveyor, means adapted to minimize theamount of cold air that will enter the drier, said means including afreely swingable baflle depending substantially below the mouth of thenozzle,

and means for adjusting said nozzles in unison, said last mentionedmeans comprising a substantially straight, elongated bar rotatablymounted within said drying chamber above said nozzles, externallyoperable means for rotating said bar about its longitudinal axis and aflexible cable element connecting the lower edge of each of said nozzleswith said bar whereby upon rotation of said bar in opposite directions,said nozzles will be lowered or raised.

3. In a drier, the combination with a drying chamber between two extremepositions for varying the distance between the mouth of the nozzle andthe conveyor, and a loading door disposed over said turntable, saidloading door being pivotally mounted and capable of assuming anyposition between two extreme positions for varying the distance betweenthe lower edge of the door and the turntable, and a swinging bafllepivotally connected to the lower edge of said loading door, and commonmeans for controlling the position of said loading door and adjustingsaid nozzles in unison, said common means comprising a substantiallystraight, elongated bar rotatably mounted within the drying chamber atone side of said turntable, a flexible cable element connecting thelower portion of each of said nozzles with said bar, a pulley mountedabove said loading door and a flexible cable element connecting thelower portion of said loading door with said bar, said second cableelement passing over said pulley.

4. In a drier, the combination with a drying chamber and a turntablerotatable therein, of a series of nozzles disposed over said turntable,each of said nozzles being pivotally mounted and capable of assuming anyposition between two extreme positions for varying the distance betweenthe mouth of the nozzle and the conveyor, and a loading door disposedover said turntable, said loading door being pivotally mounted andcapable of assuming anyposition between two extreme positions forvarying the distance between the lower edge of the door and theturntable, and'a swinging baflle pivotally connected to the lower edgeof said loading door, and common means for controlling the position ofsaid loading door and adjusting said nozzles in unison, said commonmeans comprising a substantially straight, elongated bar rotatablymounted within the drying chamber at one side of said turntable, aflexible cable element connecting the lower portion of each of saidnozzles with said bar, a pulley mounted above said loading door and aflexible cable element connecting the lower portion of said loading doorwith said bar, said second cable element passing over said pulley, andair heating and propelling means located beneath the drying chamber.

5. In a drier, the combination with a drying chamber and a turntablerotatable therein, of a series of nozzles disposed over said turntable,each of said nozzles being pivotally mounted and capable of assuming anyposition between two extreme positions for varying the distance betweenthe mouth of the nozzle and the conveyor, and a loading door disposedover said turntable, said loading door being pivotally mounted andcapable of assuming any position between two extreme positions forvarying the distance between the lower edge of the door and theturntable, and a swinging baflle pivotally connected to the lower edgeof said loading door, and common means for controlling the position ofsaid loading door and adjusting said nozzles in unison, said commonmeans comprising a substantially straight, elongated bar rotatablymounted within the drying chamber at one side of said turntable, aflexible cable element connecting the lower portion of each of saidnozzles with said bar, a pulley mounted above said loading door and aflexible cable element connecting the lower portion of said loading doorwith said bar, said second cable element passing over said pulley, andair heating and propelling means located beneath the drying chamber, anda heated chamber surrounding the drying chamber at one side thereof andopening on to each of said nozzles, said air heating and propellingmeans opening into said heated chamber.

6. In a drier, the combination with a drying chamber and a turntablerotatable therein, of a series of nozzles disposed over said turntable,each of said nozzles being pivotally mounted and capable of assuming anyposition between two extreme positions for varying the distance betweenthe mouth of the nozzle and the conveyor, means adapted to minimize theamount of cold air that will enter the drier, said means including afreely swingmemes able ballle depending substantially below the mouth ofthe nozzle, and means for adjusting said nozzles in unison, said lastmentioned means comprising a substantially straight, elongated barrotatably' mountedwithinsaid drying chamber above said "nozzles,externally operable means for rotating said bar about its longitudinalaxis and a flexible cable element connecting the lower edge of each ofsaid nozzles with said bar whereby upon rotation of said bar in oppositedirections, said nozzles will be lowered or raised, and a laterallyextending pin secured to the inner end of each of said nozzles near thelower edges thereof, and a plate secured to the lower end of ech of saidelements, each of said plates having an opening receiving one of saidpins there-' through.

'7. In a drier, the combination with a drying chamber and a conveyorrunning therein, of a series of nozzles disposed over the conveyor, eachof said nozzles being pivotally mounted and capable of assuming anyposition between two extreme positions for varying the distance betweenthe mouth of the nozzle and the conveyor, means adapted to minimize theamount of cold air that will enter the drier, said means including afreely swingable bafi le depending substantially below the mouth of thenozzle, and means for adjusting'said nozzles in unison, said meanscomprising a substantially straight elongated bar rotatably mountedwithin the drying chamber above said nozzles, a flexible cable elementconnecting the lower portion of each of said nozzles with said bar andexternally operable means for rotating said bar about its longitudinalaxis 7 8. In a drier, the combination with a drying chamber and aconveyor running therein, of a series of nozzles disposed over theconveyor, each of said nozzles being pivotally mounted and capable ofassuming any position between two extreme positions for varying thedistance between the mouth of the nozzle and the conveyor, means adaptedto minimize the amount of cold air that will enter the drier, said meansincluding a freely swingable bafile depending substantially below themouth of the nozzle and means for adjusting said nozzles in unison, saidmeans comprisinga substantially straight elongated bar rotatably mountedwithin the drying chamber above said nozzles, a flexible cable elementconnecting the lower portion of each of said nozzles with said barandexternally operable means for rotating said bar about itslongitudinal axis, and an exit door disposed over the exit end of theconveyor, said door being pivotally mounted and capable of assuming anyposition between two extreme positions for varying the distance betweenthe bottom of said door and the conveyor, and a flexible cable elementconnected at one end to the lower portion of said swinging door and atits other end to said bar.

9. In a drier, the combination with a drying chamber 8 and a conveyorrunning therein, of a series of nozzles disposed over the conveyor, eachof said nozzles being pivotally mounted and capable of assuming anyposition between two extreme positions for varying the distance betweenthe mouth of the nozzle and the conveyor, and means for adjusting saidnozzles in unison, said means comprising a substantially straightelongated bar rotatably mounted within the dryingchamber abovesaidnozzles, a flexible cable element connecting the lower portion of eachof said nozzles with said bar and externally operable means for rotatingsaid bar about its longitudinal axis, and an exit door disposed over theexit end of the conveyor, said door being pivotally mounted and capableof assuming any position between two extreme positions for varying thedistance between the bottom of said door and the conveyor, and aflexible cable element connected at one end to the lower portion of saidswinging door and at its other end tosaid bar, and a swinging bafilepivotally connected along its upper portion to the lower portion of saidexit door adapted. to minimize the amount of cold air that will enterthe drier.

10. In a, drier, the combination with a drying chamber and a conveyorrunning therein, of a series of nozzles disposed over the conveyor, eachof said nozzles being pivotally: mounted and capable of assuming anyposition between two extreme positions for varying the distancebetweenthe. mouth of thenozzle and the conveyor, and means for adjusting saidnozzles in unison, said means comprising a substantially straightelongated bar rotatably mounted within the drying: chamber above saidnozzles, a flexible cable element connecting the lower portion of eachof said nozzles with said bar and externally operable means for rotatingsaid bar about its longitudinal axis, and an exit door disposed over theexit end of the conveyor, said door being pivotally mounted and capableof assuming any position between two extreme positions for varying thedistance between the bottom of said door and the. conveyor, and aflexible cable element connected 'at one end to the lower portion ofsaid swinging door and at its other end to said bar, and a swingingbaffle pivotally connected along its upper portion to the lower portionof said exit door adapted to minimize the amount of cold air that willenter the drier, a laterally extending pin provided at one side of eachof said nozzles near the lower portions thereof, and a plate adapted tofit on to each of said pins, each of said. plates being connected to thelower end of each of said elements.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS552,667 Mote Jan. 7, 1896 1,602,988 Miller Oct. 12, 1926 2,334,854Zademach Nov. 23, 1943 2,424,213- Bloorc July 27, 1947

